The University of Minnesota swimming and diving program has officially signed eight women and 10 men to National Letters of Intent. The class will bring national and international experience, along with many record times, to Minneapolis.
“While it’s simply impossible to replace the years of development that go into an outgoing senior class, especially classes like the ones we are graduating this year, we are very excited about the young men and women that have chosen to call Minnesota home in this class,” Golden Gophers head coach Kelly Kremersaid. “We know that as they improve and develop our team will improve and develop with them.”
The 18 signees will join the team beginning in the 2017-18 season.
“Our staff — Ryan, Gideon, Wenbo, and Terry — just did an outstanding job of identifying people who are a great fit for us,” Kremer said. “The college search process is becoming more and more challenging for prospective students and their parents. I really appreciate the teamwork that we saw with everyone involved this year to bring these young people to Minnesota.”
MEN
Cale Berkoff was the 2016 Montana state champion in the 100 fly (52.65) and 100 back (50.72), and was part of two state record-setting relays. The Missoula native swam a 23.26 split on the 200 medley relay and a 47.71 anchor split on the 400 free relay. Berkoff swims with Missoula Aquatic Club and made finals in both backstroke races at the long course Speedo Champions Series in Federal Way earlier in March.
Tom Donker holds a Dutch national 18-year-old record in the 100 back (56.02). set at the LEN European Junior Championships. He has represented both Malawi, where he lived for 15 years, and the Netherlands, where he was born, at other events, including the CANA Zone Three and Four meet and the 2015 Dutch National Championships. Donker currently lives in Zambia and will graduate in the International Baccalaureate program from the American International School of Lusaka. He is a nine-time Dutch age group champion, in the 50 back, the 100 back, the 200 back and the 50 fly. His personal-best LCM times are: 500 back (25.99), 100 back (56.02), 200 back (2:03.42), 50 free (23.98), 100 free (52.42), 200 free (1:55.42), 50 fly (25.09, 100 fly (56.11) and 200 fly (207.79).
Kristian Hansen competed at Speedo Junior Nationals at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center this summer, taking 17th in the 1,500 free (16:04.12) competing for Upper Valley Aquatic Club. The Hanover, N.H., native placed 19th in the 800-meter free with a time of 8:26.63. Hansen won the 400 and 800 free at the Speedo Championship Series in Buffalo. At the 2016 NHIAA Division 2 Championships, he won both the 200- (1:45.46) and 500-yard free (4:39.47) for Hanover.
Cameron Kelley won the 200 and 500 free at the 2016 Iowa State Championships, breaking a state meet record in the 500 with a time of 4:29.96. The Cedar Rapids Washington High School student was a teammate of current Minnesota freshman Nick Saulnier. Kelley competes for the Linn-Marr Swim Team and made finals in the 1,000 and 1,650 free at the Speedo Champions Series meet in Iowa City in March 2015. He competed this summer at the USA Swimming Futures Championships in Austin.
Duncan Lester competed in 1-meter and platform at the 2016 AT&T National Diving Championships. The Boulder, Colo., native competes for Fairview High School and Mile High Dive Club and holds school records for both six and 11 dives. He finished seventh at the Colorado 5A State Championships in 2015, and fifth in 2016. Lester placed fourth in 1-meter and fifth in 3-meter at the 2016 USA Diving Junior Region 9 Championships. He was the 1-meter champion in the 14-15 division at 2014 Region 6 Championships.
Jordan Portela, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, and the top-rated recruit in his state, is a Kansas 6A high school state champion in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle, and the state record-holder in the 100 fly (49.20). His best times in the 100 and 200 free are 45.59 and 1:39.76, respectively. Outside of his Lawrence Free State High School team, he swam for the Lawrence Aquahawks Swim Team, where he has competed at Speedo Junior Nationals. Portela follows in his siblings’ Chloe and Anthony’s footsteps, as both previously swam at Minnesota.
Maxim Royzen of Niles North Community High School has competed in diving at the Illinois state meet every year, finishing third in 2016. The Skokie, Ill., native also competes for Windy City Diving. He placed 16th in the 16-18 division of 1-meter at the 2016 AT&T National Diving Championships. Royzen won his division in both 1-meter and 3-meter and finished fifth in platform at the 2016 National Zone D meet. He was 15th in boys’ 3-meter synchro at the 2015 USA Diving Synchronized National Championships, and has won titles at numerous other events including the Illinois Diving Association Championships. He is an all-conference, all-state and All-America honoree.
Tim Sates swam will represent South Africa in the U20 All-Africa Games in Angola this December. The Durban, South Africa, resident and Westerville Boys High School graduate trains with the Seagulls under South African national team coach Graham Hill, who coached Olympian Chad Le Clos for 14 years and also coached current Gophers assistant and former Olympian Gideon Louw. Sates swam in the Mare Nostrum series in 2014 and 2015. His best LCM times are 4:01.69 in the 400 free, 1:52 in the 200 free, 51.60 in the 100 free, 23.86 in the 50 free, 57.10 in the 100 fly and 26.09 in the 50 fly. At age 16, Sates won gold in the 200 free at national age group championships.
Kyle Van Niekerk from Randburg, Johannesburg, holds five South African age group records in the 50 and 100 free and 100 fly. In April 2016, he competed at the SA Senior Aquatic Championships, which also served as South Africa’s Olympic qualifying meet. Van Niekerk was selected to represent South Africa at the 2015 Junior World Championships in Singapore. He was a medalist in the 50 and 100 free at the 2013 and 2015 Australian National Age Group Championships. Van Niekerk’s top long course times are 23.30 in the 50 free, 51.03 in the 100 free, 1:51.94 in the 200 free and 24.93 in the 50 fly. He trains with Waterborn Swimming Club under coach Peter Williams, and will graduate from St. Stithian Boys’ College.
Eitan Yudashkin, a native of Haifa, Israel, first joined the Israeli national team at age 16 and has represented his country in meets such as the 2012 Multinations Cup, the 2012 Comen Cup, the 2015 European Short Course Championship and the 2016 European Long Course Championship. Yudashkin’s personal LCM records are: 200 breast (2:14.86), 100 breast (1:03.67), 50 breast (29.23), 100 free (51.92), 50 free (23.89) and 200 IM (2:06.68). Yudashkin is a 14-time Israeli age group champion in breaststroke events, a 2014 Israeli National Junior Champion in the 200 breast and a silver medalist at the Israel National Championships in the 200 breast. Yudashkin currently swims for Maccabi Kiryat Bialik Club and serves in the Israel Defense Forces as a sergeant.
WOMEN
Jenelle Crozier of Littleton, Colorado, has competed at the USA Diving Synchronized National Championships twice in the age 14-18 division. In 2015 she competed in 3-meter and in 2016 she did platform. Crozier finished seventh at the 2015 Colorado 5A State Championships competing for Chatfield High School, and finished 10th last season. She received the Jefferson County League All-Conference Champion Award as a junior.
Abbey Erwin, a native of Boise, Idaho, is a three-time defending state champion and a state record holder in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. Erwin has won a total of 11 state titles with her high school team. Aside from her high school team, she also swam for the Boise YMCA Swim Team. With her club team, she notched impressive short course times in the 200 free (1:50.00), 500 free (4:45.83), 1000 free (9:45.06), 1650 free (16:17.67), 400 IM (4:16.45) and 200 fly (2:03.63).
Emma Hepper is a North Dakota state champion in the 100-yard backstroke (57.54). The Bismarck native attends St. Mary’s High School and swims for AquaStorm and Bismarck High School, where she has competed with the varsity since seventh grade. Hepper was named a Scholastic All-American as a sophomore and has placed in the top eight of the 200 free and 100 back each year since eighth grade. She continues a family tradition as her mother, Jane (Simmons) Hepper, lettered for the Gophers in 1978 and 1979.
Brittany Horn was a bronze medalist for Appleton North High School in the 100 free and took fourth in the 100 back at the 2015 Wisconsin Division 1 state meet. Her time of 50.12 in the 100 free would’ve qualified for the C final at the 2016 Big Ten Championships. Horn has top times of 23.87 in the 50 free, 1:50.15 in the 200 free and 55.45 in the 100 back. She helped North win a conference title as a junior, and also competes with the Fox Valley Wave Swim Team.
Kelly Leonard won the 200-meter back at the 2015 Futures Championships (Central). She is a Minnesota Senior State LCM champion in the 200 back, winning this past August, and was earlier second in the same event at the Speedo Champions Series in Brown Deer, Wis. The Hastings High School student also competes with Riptide Swimming.
Kasey Milstroh won last year’s Minnesota Class A title in the 500 free and took silver in the 200 for Foley High School. The St. Cloud native posted times of 5:01.00 and 1:51.43 in the 500 and 200, respectively. She was also on Foley’s 200 and 400 free relays. Milstroh qualified for Winter Juniors in the 50 free, and competes with the St. Cloud YMCA Swim Club. She is a 2016 state qualifier in the 100 and 200 free.
Mackenzie Padington, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, will graduate from Claremont Secondary School this spring. She participated in the 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials in events such as the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 100 breast, 200 IM and 400 IM. Padington advanced to the finals in the 200 free, 400 free and 200 IM. She notched impressive times at the Trials in the 200 free (2:01.99), 100 breast (1:10.98), 200 IM (2:18.30) and 400 IM (4:50.76).
Patricia Van Law is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. The ThunderRidge High School student finished sixth in the 100 back (56.61) and seventh in the 100 fly (57.33) at the 2016 Colorado 5A State Championships. She also swims with Highland Ranch Aquatics, and made the A final of the 200-meter backstroke at the USA Swimming Futures
News courtesy of Minnesota Athletics.